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Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

Hi, I started my LO on rice cereal but she doesn't seem to like it and I also think she didn't know what to do with it (tongue reflex). She is better now, even though I don't give it to her every day. She is 6 months old. Should I start the purees? I made sweet potato puree and apple puree. Should I combine say sweet potato w/ rice cereal? Should I try oatmeal? I know its about practicing etc but I don't want her to fall behind and I'm getting pressure from DH and MIL to try again.

Mommy to a princess, Isabella Sofia, born on 09/24/2007 and a prince, Lucas Gabriel, born on 08/04/2010.
__________________________
"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." -Lin Yutang

Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother. -Anne Taylor and (at work)

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

if she's 6 mos old, it should be fine to try some veggies, just try them one at a time at first in case of reactions. As far as "falling behind", that's just silly, this is the time for your lo to experiment with their food. My pedi says as long as they know how to eat by the time they're a year old, they're good. Try to get your dh to read up on some of the current info on solid feeding for babies, maybe once informed, he'll help out with the fun and not pressure you or baby to do things too quickly. As far as the mil goes, things were way different as far as food goes when they raised children, I would try and educate her if you can, otherwise, just go about doing things the way you feel is best for your baby.

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

There's not really any such thing as falling behind at this point. Go with your gut and follow your baby's lead and you'll do great!

I personally never gave cereal. I skipped it and started with mushed up banana and semi-mushed avacado. Then for a little while I gave various fruit and vegetable purees. Based on my own experience, I think you'd do fine with going ahead with veggies and fruits.

Also, there is the baby-led approach where you skip purees altogether and go right to letting baby feed herself. I did this after a few weeks of using purees and it worked great for me (my mother clearly did not approve, but she eventually came around and complimented me on my lo's ability to feed herself so early). If you're interested, let me know and I'll give you more info!

“We are not put on earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are there always for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you.”
--Anonymous

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

I understand the thing about others pressuring you to start solids. Just remind dh and mil that babies get their nutrition from bm for the first year of life. Solids are just for fun at this point, getting to know different taste and texture sensations, especially at six months. If lo hasn't lost the tongue-thrust reflex yet, she's not yet ready for solids, which it sounds like you already knew. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/solids.html This helps explain more about when babies are ready for solids.

If you want to get a jump on things but don't want to force the food issue, you could go ahead and make pureés and freeze them and you'll have a bunch on hand when she is ready. Just don't let others pressure you into doing something lo's not ready to do. It could make meal time a very unpleasant event for her and it should be enjoyable.

I love this website as well www.wholesomebabyfood.com . I made all of ds's food and couldn't have done it without this. It gives loads of information on what foods babies can eat at what ages, which foods have of what nutrients, recipes from pureés to more complex ones, how to cook the foods so as to retain the most nutrients and best flavor for lo... That way, when lo is ready, you have an arsenal of foods to give. Bon appetit!

**Margaret**(the artist formerly known as mommamags) Mom to red- and curly-headed, blue-eyed, chunky-thighed Michael Thomas, 24 May 2007, 9 lb/22 in. As an infant, he was my little suckling pig. Now he's a total ham!!!

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

Thanks for replying! My MIL is a nurse in Colombia and she constantly tells my DH that at this point our baby should be eating. I don't agree and I read plenty to my DH but it seems like everyone around us is asking, why she isn't on cereal yet. Even our CCP. I get SO frustrated! This weekend we were out eating and we ran into a friend who has a 4 mo. old and he was chomping down on cereal, of course! His mom, an LPN, was like, 'Oh yeah, it's time!"UGH! I know it isn't but DH looks at him and looks at me like, "There you go.."

Thanks to the PP. I LUV that website! I used it to make the cereal and the purees I made last night just to prove that I do intend on feeding my LO when SHE is ready. LOL

Last edited by Tadpole's Mom; March 25th, 2008 at 10:57 AM.

Mommy to a princess, Isabella Sofia, born on 09/24/2007 and a prince, Lucas Gabriel, born on 08/04/2010.
__________________________
"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." -Lin Yutang

Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother. -Anne Taylor and (at work)

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

Originally Posted by sailor-san

i'm interested.

Here are some good links with info about baby led solids. The first one is the article that 'converted' me. It's a great approach for breastfed babies (who are used to self-regulating their own food intake) and are showing all the signs of being ready for solids.

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

Thank you!

Mommy to a princess, Isabella Sofia, born on 09/24/2007 and a prince, Lucas Gabriel, born on 08/04/2010.
__________________________
"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." -Lin Yutang

Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother. -Anne Taylor and (at work)

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

I that site too!! It answers just about any question that may pop into your head about making your own baby food. It also has a good recipe for homemade rice cereal, which your LO may like more than the boxed kind.

Re: Should I skip cereal and go straight for veggies?

my friend is from germany, and followed the order of foods according to her homeland, as she happened to be home for a visit when she started her dd on solids. they start with orange/yellow veggies 1st then fruit. i can't remember if they have commercial baby cereal like we do in north america or not. i would go with what feels right for you and your lo. my ds refused to eat much for solids until he was 8-9 months.he outright refused all cereals, even if they were mixed with fruit or yogurt. everyone kept saying he NEEDS cereal, or he will be malnourished. i was worrying, and thinking i was a terrible mother. then it occured to me, he's 22lbs at 7 months!! he hardly looked as if he was malnourished. i realized that he would eat when he was ready, and the bm was giving everything he needed in the mean time. i reminded myself while i was preggers with ds, and people were saying i needed to immediately stop nursing my 1st dd, or the baby would be malnourished. he ended up coming about 4 days b4 his due date and weighing in at 10lbs 1oz. yup, he was malnourished alright!!

i feel like saying just because things were done a certain way (ie give cereal in the 1st month, or use carnation canned milk instead of formula) doesn't mean that it is healthy. yes the kids survived. people can survive eating fast food 24/7 but it doesn't they are healthy....